Improvement in ice-pitchers



JAMES DAWSON.

Improvement 'in Ice Pitchers.

Patent ed. an 9,1872.

Wdiwasm M fiflutfm UNITED STATES JAMES DAWSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF AND HENRY A. TWEED, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN ICE-PITCHERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 122,576, dated January 9, 1872.

To whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES DAWSON, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Ice-Pitchers, of which the following is a specification:

My invention relates to metallic ice-pitchers provided with double walls for the purpose of insulating, as far as possible, the liquid in the pitcher from the heat of the surrounding atmosphere. It has been usual in this class of icepitchers to make the outer and inner walls of Britannia or similar metal-in most cases electro-plated with silver. In order to make the pitchers of sufficient strength, it is necessary to have the walls of considerable thickness, and this has rendered the pitcher heavy and expensive. The main object of my invention is to increase the strength and reduce the cost of manufacture of the pitcher; and to this end I make the outer and inner walls of the pitcher of any metal, such as that ordinarily employed, or other metal suitable for the purpose, but much thinner than usual; and then, in order to stiffen the walls and prevent their giving way, I combine with them a hollow metallic filling piece made of zinc, tinned iron, or other metal of inferior quality, fitting tightly the space between the walls, and affording to each and both the necessary backing and support.

This intermediate metallic support is especial- 1y adapted to the side walls of the pitcher; but it may also be combined with the bottom and cover, or either, with good results. By

this method of manufacture only the thin outer walls are made of a high-priced metal, while each wall is provided with a backing of comparatively cheap metal, which affords greater strength than it has been possible to obtain heretofore without making the walls so thick as to render the pitcher entirely too heavy and expensive.

The manner in which my invention is or may be carried into effect will be understood by reference to the accompanying drawing, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical central section of the side walls of a pitcher made in accordance with my invention, the other parts being shown in dotted lines. Fig. 2 is a like section of the lower part of a pitcher, representing the manner in which the bottom of the same may be made.

The inner and outer metallic side walls of the pitcher are represented at A A. They are of any suitable size and configuration, and for the reasons above mentioned are made thinner than has heretofore been usual. Filling the space between the walls is a hollow annular metallic support, (consisting of the side plates at and end braces or pieces 1),) which fits snugly and tightly between said walls, so that each wall will have in contact with it a metallic backing-plate, a. This metallic support is constructed of .zinc, tinned iron, or other cheap metal, and by making it hollow its weight is reduced so as to render the pitcher as light as consistent with strength. The metallic support fills all the space included between the inner and outer walls, so that the latter may be backed and braced throughout or nearly throughout their entire extent; at the same time, however, the hollowspace within the support or filling piece admits of a non-conductor of heat being interposed to insulate the inner wall from the surrounding atmosphere of the apartment in which the pitcher may be placed.

In putting together the parts of the pitcher the annular hollow metallic support or filling piece is fitted on the inner wall A, and then the outer wall A is fitted over and down upon the said support or filling piece, which is thus surrounded by and held between the two. The parts, when thus fitted, can be secured together by solder or other suitable means, as may be found necessary.

I have not thought it necessary to represent the manner in which the metallic filling piece or support may be adapted and applied to the hollow bottom and cover of the pitcher, as this will be readily understood from the description already given. It is not necessary, however, that either the bottom or cover should be hollow or double-walled, as they may be otherwise constructed without afiecting my invention. For instance, a backing, B, of wood or other suitable material, may be applied and fitted to the single bottom of the pitcher, as shown in Fig. 2, the edge of the backing piece being molded or shaped to conform to the shape and configuration of the metallic bottom flange or base 0 of the pitcher. The backing can be held in place by making the metallic base-plate or flange to extend below the backing, and turning or swaging the protecting lip or flange under and upon the bottom of the backing, as shown at d. So, too, the cover, instead of being made hollow, may be made with a solid fillin g of inferior metal between inner and outer plates of metal similar to that of which the inner and outer walls of the body of the pitcher is made. In short, it is manifest that my invention is applicable to the side walls, bottom, and cover of a pitcher, or to either of them; and it is also manifest that it is also applicable not only to pitchers, but to other hollow-walled vessels. 

